Looper



Feb. 22, 1966 GRUlCH T L 3,236,430

LOOPER Filed July 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. WALLACE E.WASON 8 BY MICHAEL GRUICH ATTORNEYS Feb. 22, 1966 M. GRUlCH ETAL 3,236,430

LDOPER Filed July 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl G. 2 Fl G. 3

INVENTORS- WALLACE E. WASON 8 MICHAEL GRUICH ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,236,430 LOOPER Michael Gruich, Cleveland, and Wallace E. Wason, South Euclid, Ohio, assignors to Meco-Matic, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 24, 1963, Ser. No. 297,280 7 Claims. (Cl. 226-119) This invention relates to a looper structure for storing a loop of strip material in a continuous feed line and more particularly to a looper tower, carriage and winch arrangement for accomplishing the same.

Looper structures of various forms have been used heretofore for the purpose of feeding strip material contlnuously through the apparatus at a constant speed even when it is necessary to join the end of a new roll to the expired strip end. The prior art loopers have taken the form of three general classifications. Namely, vertical loopers having a traveling carriage in a set of parallel vertical Ways, horizontal loopers having a pair of towers and a horizontal bridge with the traveling carriage therebetween, and arrangements which permit the material to fall between fixed or movable members in order to store the material. Each of these above-mentioned devices serves to provide a storage of the strip material so that when the supply strip has been exhausted, the stored material may be utilized to continue the feeding of the material while a new strip is being secured to the end of the expired strip.

However, certain problems have arisen. Generally, the prior art loopers had no basic structure and were designed for a specific job and strip width thereby limiting the apparatus to a particular process and type of material. Further, loopers heretofore known were a labyrinth of structural members providing a complex apparatus with concomitant maintenance problems. Also, it was ditficult to thread the strip material through the looper apparatus due to the complexity of the structural members and the lack of access to the directional pulleys.

The looper apparatus of the instant invention is of the horizontal looper type and constitutes a considerable improvement over looper structures generally and horizontal loopers in particular. Thus, the instant invention comprises a single tower which mounts the winch, the directional pulleys, and one end of the carriage track. The tower is of a simple A-frame construction which yields an easily accessible area for threading and lubricating the directional pulleys and generally maintaining the tower. The directional pulleys are mounted in a manner whereby they may be adjusted to accommodate varying sizes of strip material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified looper structure for storing strip material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a horizontal looper having a single tower.

-It is a still further object of this invention to provide a looper having the winch mounted on the entry tower.

It is another object of this invention to provide a looper wherein all of the directional pulleys are mounted on the entry tower and are readily accessible for threading of the strip material.

Another object of the invention is to provide directional pulleys which are adjustably mounted on the tower to accommodate varying sizes of strip material.

A further object is to provide a looper apparatus having a single tower on which are mounted the winch, directional pulleys and carriage track with the carriage movable on the track toward and away from the tower.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a looper device wherein actuation of the winch draws the loop forming carriage away from the tower and the winch.

3,236,430 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 A more specific object of this invention is to provide a looper apparatus wherein the carriage track comprises a parallel pair of inwardly facing channels with the loop forming carriage movably mounted between the channels.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a winch and drive arrangement of an improved design wherein the winch drum is at one end of the shaft and the winch clutch at the other end of the shaft.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail one approved means of carrying out the invention; such disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invent-ion may be used.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a looper structure having the combination tower, track, carriage and winch design of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the looper tower and winch device showing the location of the directional pulleys and the mounting of the carriage track.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and illustrates the winch and direction pulley mountings.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the winch device.

FIG. 5 is an enlargement of a portion of the winch device of FIG. 4 showing the details of the clutch mechanism.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated, somewhat schematically, the essential elements comprising the instant invention. Thus, the looper consists of a tower 10 which mounts a plurality of directional pulleys 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Mounted on the upper portion of the tower is a motor and winch combination, indicated generally by the reference numeral 16. Below the winch 16 but secured at the upper end of the tower 10 is a carriage track, indicated generally by the reference numeral 17, which mounts a carriage 18 movable therealong on wheels 19, 20, 21, 22. Secured to the carriage for movement therewith are pulleys 23, 24. Supporting the cantilever track 17 at spaced apart points are columns 25.

It may be seen that with the elements as briefly described, a strip of material, designated 26, may be fed into the tower 10, around the pulley 11, over the pulley 12, around the pulley 23 on the carriage 18, back around the pulley 13, around the pulley 24 on the carriage 18, back to the tower and around the pulleys 14, 15 to a point of egress from the tower to proceed on to the processing machinery. With the carriage 18 spaced from the tower 10 along the track 17, two loops of material, 27, 28 are stored in the looping apparatus ready for consumption by the processing machinery upon expiration of the material entering the tower. The stored loop is dissipated by the processing machinery pulling on the strip material and thereby displacing the carriage 18 toward the looping tower 10. A new loop may be formed only upon returning the carriage to a position spaced along the track from the looping tower which spacing movement is accomplished by the motor and winch mechanism 16 in a manner hereinafter described.

With the broad outline of the general operation of the device in mind, the specifics of the individual components will now be considered. Turning first to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated the looping tower 10. This tower consists of a pair of A-frarnes A, B with frame A having legs 29, 30 secured at their base portions 31, 32 to the floor. An intermediate cross member 33, and a top gusset 34 complete the A-frame configuration. A similar A- frame B is provided on the other side of the tower, only one leg, 35, of which is illustrated.

Spanning the two legs 30, 35 are cross member supportsor headers 36, 37 38 which serve to support vertical members 39, 40, 41, 42. The directional pulleys 13, 14, 15 are secured to the members 39, 40, 41, 42 by hearing brackets 43. A similar construction is employed to mount the directional pulley 11 and support the remaining legs of the tower.

Fastened to the under side of the cross member 38 are two spaced apart, inwardly facing channels 44, 45 which comprise the carriage track 17. The track 17 extends in a cantilever fashion, horizontally outward from the tower with the columns 25 serving to support the track at appropriate spaced intervals.

Secured to the under side of the track in the tower 10 is the directional pulley 12. With the directional pulleys 11, 12, 13, 14, and all mounted within the tower 10, the ease of threading the strip material through the pulleys is greatly enhanced as well as the ease with which the pulley bearings may be maintained. Further, with the pulleys in close proximity, it is a simple matter to insure the proper alignment of the pulleys relative to each other and various strip widths may be accommodated by the simple expedient of varying the spacing of the pulley support members.

The channel construction for the track is self-supporting insofar as withstanding the deflecting stresses inherent in the operation of the apparatus. Appropriate cross bracing is used to avoid any tendency of the channels to spread apart. In the event a heavier strip than usual is to be fed through the apparatus, a double I-beam track might be used to withstand the added weight in the looped material.

The carriage 18 comprises a body which mounts the wheels 19, 20 on opposite sides thereof with the wheels being adapted to engage the legs of the channels to support the body. The wheels 21, 22 constitute anti-tipping wheels mounted on the frame by pillow blocks and engageable with the underside of the channels. As mentioned above, the two pulleys 23, 24 are also secured to the carriage for movement therewith and define the ends of loops 27, 28.

Secured to the upper portion of the tower 10 is the motor winch combination 16 which comprises an electric motor 46, a gear box 47, a winch drum 48, and a clutch 49. Turning to FIG. 4, these elements and their relationship are illustrated on an enlarged scale. A central shaft 50 is mounted at opposite ends in pedestals 51, 52 with the left hand end, as viewed in FIG. 4, keyed to the motor for a driving relationship therewith.

Mounted for rotation relative to the shaft 50 by bearings 53, 54 is the winch drum 48 which includes radial flanges 55, 56. Secured to the flange 56 is a cylinder 57 on which is mounted a clutch drum 58 having a friction surface 59. The combination of the drum 48, cylinder 57, clutch drum 58 and surface 59 comprises the driven portion of the winch clutch and is adapted to rotate relative to the shaft 50.

Turning to the driving member of the clutch, there is secured to the shaft 50 by a key 60 a clutch hub 61 which in turn mounts, by screws 62, a housing member 63. Disposed internally of the housing 63 is a fluiddistensible diaphragm 64 which expands radially outward of the hub 61 when distended. Adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm 64 is a flexible wear pad 65 which is secured to the housing 63 but which is deformable into radial contact with surface 59 under pressure from the diaphragm 64. A fluid inlet 66 is provided at one end of the shaft 50 and is connected by a channel 67 to the inflatable diaphragm 64 so that air may be introduced into the inflatable member causing the deformation of the friction pad 65 into engagement with the friction surface 59 and thereby couple the clutch drum 58 to the shaft 50.

A brake 68 having a pressure operator 69 of standard construction is interposed between the flange 56 and the clutch drum 58 so that it may be operated to engage the cylinder 57 and thereby control the rotating movement of the winch drum 48.

The operation of the winch drum combination 16 is such that upon actuation of the motor 46, the shaft 50 Will be caused to rotate. However, inasmuch as the clutch is normally disengaged, the shaft 50 will rotate independently of the winch drum 48. Upon introduction of air through the valve 66 and the channel 67, the member 64 would be inflated causing the transverse deflection of the friction pad into engagement with the clutch drum surface 59, and, through this frictional engagement, cause the clutch member 58 to rotate with the shaft 50. Upon release of the clutch, the winch drum 48 may be brought to a stop by actuation of the brake operator 69, causing the brake element 68 to engage the cylinder surface 57.

It is to be noted that with the motor winch combination illustrated, a balanced design is presented without undue overhang of the motor and gear box on one end and the clutch and brake on the opposite end. Also, with this arrangement, it is possible to align the drum 48 with the directional pulleys and thereby provide a more balanced appearance of the entire apparatus.

Secured to the drum 48 in a conventional manner is a cable which passes over a sheave 71 and around sheaves 72, 73 at the end of the track 17. The cable is continued around a pulley 74 secured to the carrier 18 and is then doubled back on itself and secured to the end of the looper apparatus at 75. With the cable arranged in the manner disclosed, it is apparent that rotation of the winch drum 48 will cause the cable 70 to be wound around the drum surface and draw the carrier 18 in a direction away from the tower 10. Conventional limit switches 76, 77 are provided on the track to control the longitudinal travel of the carrier 18.

Turning to the operation of the device in more specific detail, the strip of metal is threaded around the directional pulleys and the carrier as described above and the carrier is displaced to a predetermined position along the track 17 to form the loops 27, 28. With the strip 26 being fed through the looping apparatus, the carrier 18 is held in position against the pull of the strip by inflating the flexible diaphragm 64 so that the friction pad 65 is in firm engagement with the friction surface 59. With the motor 46 stationary, the clutch then serves as a brake and restrains the carrier 18 in its position on the track 17. Upon expiration of the metal strip 26, the strip end is clamped and air pressure in the bag 64 is decreased to a point where the friction pad 65 slips on the surface 59 thus imposing a slipping drag on the drum 48 but allowing the strip 26, as it is fed, to pull the carrier 18 toward the tower 10 and thereby consume the stored loops 27, 28 while the strip ends are being welded. To stop the movement of the carrier 18 under the influence of the strip material, it is necessary only to reinfiate the bag 64 bringing the friction pad 65 again into firm engagement with the surface 59 and effectively brake the unwinding rotation of the drum 48.

To reform the loops 27, 28 and accumulate the storage necessary for the next end-joining operation, the motor 46 is actuated to rotate the shaft 50 and, with the bag 64 inflated to cause frictional contact between the surface 59 and the pad 65, the drum 48 is rotated in a direction to wind the cable 70 thereabout. The winding of the cable on the drum causes the carrier 18 to traverse the track 17 in a direction away from the tower 10, thereby forming the expanded loops 27, 28.

A particular advantage of the arrangement illustrated should be noted at this point. With the winch 16 at the tower end of the apparatus and drawing the cable 70 from a point at the opposite end of the track 17, it is unnecessary to have any device on the winch for feeding the cable across the drum as it is wound therearound. Contrasted with this is the prior art arrangement wherein the Winch was arranged to pull the carrier toward it so that, as it approached the winch, the cable tended to be concentrated on one area of the drum due to the shorter fleet angle. This concentration of cable was undesirable in that, unless high flanges were provided on the sides of the drum, the cable would pile up and eventually spill over the sides of the drum. Accordingly, the prior art arrangements required an additional element to feed the cable back and forth across the drum as it was being wound. With the fleet angle obtainable through the arrangement illustrated, the feeding element is unnecessary.

In view of the above description, it is believed apparent that a greatly simplified apparatus for storing strip ma terial has been provided. The A-frame construction eliminates much of the bracing ordinarily required for a comparable box structure and provides an Open bottom area for easy maintenance. Further, the tower construction need not vary with the type of strip used since it can accommodate various sizes of pulleys corresponding to diverse strip widths while variations in strip thickness and pulley diameters may be compensated for by extending the legs to give greater height to the tower.

For ease of description, the principles of the invention have been set forth in connection with but a single illustrated embodiment or the terminology employed in describing it be limiting inasmuch as variations in these may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; but rather, it is our desire to be restricted only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A self-supporting looper apparatus adapted to store strip material during the continuous feeding of the material comprising;

a tower;

said tower including two spaced apart vertically extending frames;

each of said frames including legs converging inwardly at the upper end thereof;

the lower ends of said legs being adapted to rest on an underlying support for the independent support of said tower;

brace means interconnecting said legs intermediate their longitudinal extent and at the upper end thereof;

a plurality of headers inter-connecting said frames;

pairs of spaced apart parallel vertical members secured between adjacent headers;

directional pulleys rotatably secured to each of said pairs of vertical members;

a cantilevered track secured only at one end to the upper portion of said tower and extending horizontally in a direction away from said tower with the free end of said track remote from said tower;

vertical column supports secured to said track at spaced points therealong with the lower ends of said column supports being adapted to rest on the underlying support;

a directional pulley secured to the end of said track in said tower;

a loop forming carriage mounted on said track for movement toward and away from said tower;

a winch mounted on said tower and operatively connected with said carriage for controlling the movement thereof;

said tower, track and column supports being movable relative to the underlying support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said winch includes a drum and drive means to rotate said drum;

said operative connection between said winch and carriage comprising cable means connected to said drum and said carriage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cable means is secured to said free end of said track.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said winch comprises a shaft;

bearing means supporting said shaft at opposite ends there-of;

drive means for rotating said shaft and connected at one end thereof;

a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft intermediate its length;

a clutch drum disposed at the end of said shaft opposite to said drive means and secured to said drum for rotation therewith relative to said shaft;

a hub secured to said shaft at the end opposite to said drive means; and

expansible means secured to said hub and adapted to be selectively frictionally engaged with said clutch drum thereby to couple said drum with said shaft for rotation therewith.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carriage includes a plurality of pulleys thereon whereby a plurality of loops in the strip material may be formed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track comprises a pair of spaced apart inwardly facing open channel members with inwardly directed upper and lower legs on each of said members;

said carriage including 'a body having wheels rotatably mounted thereon;

said wheels being in engagement with the lower legs of said channels thereby to support said carriage in a depending position between said channels.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 including sheaves secured to the free end of said track;

a pulley on said carriage;

cable means secured at one end to said winch;

said cable means being threaded around said sheaves and said carriage pulley with the other end of said cable means fixedly secured to said free end of said track.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,540 11/1938 Smith 24255.3 2,203,946 6/1940 Doescher 24245 2,277,658 3/1942 Anderson 226-1 19 2,447,280 8/1948 Rowe 19285 X 2,503,018 4/1950 Wittman 242-475 2,681,184 6/1954 Thomas 24245 2,808,258 10/1957 Waychotf 242-55.0l 2,974,676 3/1961 Hagelthorn 24.2-47.5 X

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SELF-SUPPORTING LOOPER APPARATUS ADAPTED TO STORE STRIP MATERIAL DURING THE CONTINUOUS FEEDING OF THE MATERIAL COMPRISING; A TOWER; SAID TOWER INCLUDING TWO SPACED APART VERTICALLY EXTENDING FRAMES; EACH OF SAID FRAMES INCLUDING LEGS CONVERGING INWARDLY AT THE UPPER END THEREOF; THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID LEGS BEING ADAPTED TO REST ON AN UNDERLYING SUPPORT FOR THE INDEPENDENT SUPPORT OF SAID TOWER; BRACE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID LEGS INTERMEDIATE THEIR LONGITUDINAL EXTENT AND AT THE UPPER END THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF HEADERS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRAMES; PAIRS OF SPACED APART PARALLEL VERTICAL MEMBERS SECURED BETWEEN ADJACENT HEADERS; DIRECTIONAL PULLEYS ROTATABLY SECURED TO EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF VERTICAL MEMBERS; A CANTILEVERED TRACK SECURED ONLY AT ONE END TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TOWER AND EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID TOWER WITH THE FREE END OF SAID TRACK REMOTE FROM SAID TOWER; VERTICAL COLUMN SUPPORTS SECURED TO SAID TRACK AT SPACED 